What are timber frame houses?
imber frame houses are the most popular form of house building in the world. This is mainly owing to the fact they are quick to erect and have high levels of thermal efficiency. For brick and block houses to achieve the same levels of thermal insulation costs have to be considerably increased. In timber frame houses, as the name indicates, the chief building material is timber which is used to support the weight of the house.

How much do they cost?
This is the most frequently asked question and the most difficult to answer because different variables have to be taken into account. First the size of the house makes a difference as does the complexity of the design. However, there are other three main variables which will have a bearing on the final price: the type of plot - a sloping plot is usually more expensive than a level one; its location - labour rates can vary from one community to another - and the choice of finishes - hand painted terracotta tiles will obviously be a lot more expensive than factory produced glazed tiles. Having said that, as a guideline we can give an average price per square metre of between 700 and 850 € per square metre.

How long does it take to build an ibs house?
Again the size and complexity of design will have an influence on the time it takes to build a house. However, we can state that an average house of 150m2 should take between 12 and 18 weeks to be completed. This is the usual timetable of events: first planning permission must be obtained - this varies according to each municipality - the plans are then sent to finland to our structural engineer and are prepared for the manufacturing process. The engineering, drawing and manufacturing process takes about six weeks. During this time we get on with the ground work. Once the kit arrives the entire frame structure is erected and made water tight in approximately one to two weeks.

Can you design any kind of house?
Yes, we can design almost any kind of house. We have total flexibility so you can choose the house that suits your needs.

Once we have the final quote for the house are there any additional costs?
No, only if you make further alterations to the specifications once the project is under way.

How do these houses save on energy?
For many clients this is one of the main reasons they choose a timber frame house because of the long term savings on running costs. An average brick and block house offers a u value of 0.43 w/m2k compared to the ibs system which gives a typical u value of 0.21w/m2. This means that our houses are highly insulated against the heat and the cold.

What about the environmental effect of using wood?
All the timber used in the construction of our houses comes from finland, the first country in the world to introduce replanting programmes. Timber is, in fact, the only renewable structural building material and has a great advantage over other building materials since it is produced by natural means: sun, water and air. This means that its energy requirements (per), which refers to all the energy that goes into producing and transporting a product, are much lower. An average three bedroomed timber frame house has a per (product energy requirement) of 7,450kwh whereas a brick and block house has a per of 12,816kwh.

How long does this type of construction last?
Timber frame houses have an extremely long history. Tudor houses can still be found in the u.k. and finland has many examples of buildings going back to the seventeeth century.

What happens with noisy neighbours - is there good sound insulation?
Our houses are extremely well insulated for noise. For further technical details consult our c.d.

Can i get a mortgage for this type of construction?
Of course. You will have no problem in obtaining a mortgage for these houses.

What happens if the house catches fire?
The main difference between a wooden structure and a metal structure is the metal structure collapses and the wooden one burns. The speed of propagation depends more on good building practices than on the structures themselves.